A Foreshadowing Friday!

The Mayans said that today was the last day of the world or civilization or something like that...

Apparently, one is still able to blog on said last day... which probably means it is not the last day...

Today also happens to be the first day of winter - I think (it is sometimes the 20th and sometimes the 21st)

Today is also a Friday!  And that means it is Shabbot!

I am also posting very late in the day today - which means I really really need Shabbot this week!

On this cold and dark (I think it is also the shortest day of the year...), I am going to shed some sunny light - of the Vera kind!

Vera is total and complete awesome sunshine!  I love my Vera!

About two weeks ago, Vera and I attended an "open house" for Kidville University's Winter PrePreschool program.  I had received an email about it and it was during Jonah's school time so I figured we'd check it out.  I also convinced one of my buddies to go as well - so Vera and I got to hang with our buddies.

It was great!  Vera was enthralled, happy, silly, excited, fabulous, giddy, and did I mention HAPPY!

Kidville is in downtown Bethesda. It is a very nice kid play space.  they offer cool classes, have a little shop and give haircuts!  Jonah got his haircut there this past fall. 

Vera's class was in an adorable classroom with tons of stuff to do:  books, dress up corner, puzzles, dolls, cool play dough stuff, music etc.  The class is Mondays and Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:30 which is perfect because it is right in between Jonah's class time.  They give them a healthy snack and the kids get to go to the super cool gym for 30 minutes of gym play.  The class is called a transition class and it is only for 22-24 mos old and runs from Jan to the end of March for 3 mos.  The goal is to be able to leave your children alone for the whole time by the end of the class.  My guess is that I will leave Vera alone in class the first class... During the open house, she barely noticed I was there?!?!  She was way too busy snuggling up to all the teachers, making new friends and PLAYING WITHOUT HER BROTHER PULLING TOYS AWAY FROM HER!!!!!

Once every 25 minutes she would circle over to me and say, "Mommy, I love you" and then give me a hug!  How fantastic is that?

I signed up on the spot!

Then my friend and I went to the Barnes & Nobel to hang for a bit - and she helped me decide that I am going to sign up for the gym in Bethesda too! 

Here is my Monday and Wednesday plan for 2013:

Put kids in car at 9:00am
Drop Jonah off in car pool lane at 9:10
Drive fast to Bethesda, park and drop Vera off at her school as close to 9:30 as possible
Go to fancy gym from 9:45 until 11:15
Pick up Vera at 11:30, put her in car
Drive back to Jonah's school and sit in carpool lane
Pick up Jonah at 12:15
Return home for lunch with kids, usually done by 1:15...

After that - it's a free for all - but the those 90 minutes of gym time - those are precious...

For me those 90 minutes are a road sign to the pit stop on the journey of raising two kids 22 months apart...

It's been a long time... last time I got my shit together and started going to the gym... three weeks into it I got hit with cancer... this time I am hoping I just get into super shape!

We are ready for 2013 over here.  It was a crazy year - I've only blogged about some of it here - but there has been so much much more...the good, the bad, the ugly and yes, the absolutely wonderful...

Like I said, we are ready for 2013.

Vera is going to go to school!
Jonah loves being in the car pool lane!
Mommy is going to go back to the gym!
Mama is settled in at her new firm with her big client.
We are going to buy some furniture for the house.

We are also going to start the first days of the year on vacation!  That is the best news yet.

So this is my last post for a while.  I will be back after the new year.

Stay safe, keep warm, look for the light, remember to breathe, hug and kiss the ones you love when you can and take care of yourself and those around you - Happy New Year Everyone!

Making the Second Cut...

Before Jonah started preschool this year, I figured it was time for another hair cut.  That was almost one month ago to the day... the fall is flying by! 

Last night we attended, Jonah's preschool's open house - wow, I wish I was going to his school - they have a lot of fun!  Jonah made us a little snack bag and we made him a Shabbat place mat - yep, they asked the parents to sit at the little tables and chairs and do "art" and decorate their children's shabbat place mats - it was fun.  His teachers said he is doing great - so that made me happy!  Today Vera and I are going to go to school during Shabbat Sing so Jonah is going to get another surprise.  First preschool, then Kindergarten, and soon both my babies will be in grad school - I've seen this movie before!  It goes fast!!!!

But before Jonah & Vera are off and running solo around the world (I know the day is coming) those of you who have been following our little bit of chaos over here, know what a big deal Jonah's first hair cut was - at least for me... We did the first cut on his 3rd birthday in Baltimore.  Basically, three months later, in September, he needed another one.  We were on the new shoes, new season, new school year, Jewish New Year kick - so we went for it.

And we went where most other little Washington DCers go... to Bethesda... oiy!  We left the rocking city to get the curls cut - to Kidville.  It was a very short little jaunt North and it was well worth it.

Jonah & Vera had a super dooper time.  Vera piloted a plane and watched Dora - she was not excited to leave.  Jonah drove a red fire engine, held a cool plane toy, watched Dora, blew bubbles, got a lollipop and oh yeah, also got his hair cut.

The woman cutting Jonah's hair was awesome!

It was a good haircut, everyone had fun and we even escaped with free foldable Jake the Neverland Pirate, Pirate Ship Cut Outs?!?!!  SUPER SCORE.

After, we stopped had bagels and then went to the big Barnes & Noble for a little train action at their train table.  It was pretty awesome to see Jonah & Vera maneuvering around the table with the other toddlers. 

Memories swooshed over me as I sat there. Jonah & Vera are these little people (OK they are little) but they are on their way to becoming who they will be - they have complete and total personalities, get their hair cut and have their own opinions.  I kept remembering the first times I took Jonah to the B&N Bookstores to play at the train tables, we were in Chicagoland and he was basically the same age as Vera is now.  That is just weird.

Time goes really really fast.  It goes even faster when you start getting older.  It goes even faster than that if you have small children.

That "mindfulness practice" kick I am on right now - well, the big thing is to "be" in the present moment.  Watching my kids, every day, hour, night, meal - I am trying to "be" in the moment with them.  Despite the potty training fails, food throwing on the floor, repetitive stints in time out (for both of them now?!?!) and crazy temper tantrums... I am trying to "be"- and when I am not with them because I have to do all the other crap I have to do - I am trying to "be" in those moments as well.  This is not easy, but it is a process.  I am grateful for the chance to try. 

It is finally getting colder and the beginning of the year hair cut is over... the fall bombardment of Jewish holidays is over... next up Halloween - but for now "mindfulness practice" dictates we should  just "be" for a little bit before we swing into the spooky!

That's code for BREATHE... IN... and then OUT...

Give it a try.

pre cut curls

yes he insisted on cleaning up his curls...